This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application A HOUSING STRUCTURE FOR TAPE RECORDER filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Aug. 19, 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 48098/2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cassette housing structure of a tape cassette player and recorder and more particularly, to a cassette housing structure having two pairs of link members one of which is made in a single body.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cassette housing is supported by a link mechanism on a deck of a tape cassette player and recorder. The link mechanism includes two pairs of link members, each pair having two side links located on each side of a cassette housing and spaced-apart from each other by a length of the cassette housing. Each side link has one end coupled to the cassette housing and the other end coupled to the deck of the player and recorder. Typically, a shaft is coupled to both the cassette housing and the one end of the two side links of one pair of link members in order to couple the link member to the cassette housing, maintain the length between the spaced-apart link members, and press the cassette housing downwardly during placing of the cassette housing on the deck of the cassette player and recorder. However, it is very inconvenient to assemble the shaft into both the cassette housing and the one end of the side links simultaneously. The assembly process becomes complicated for securely connecting the shaft to the cassette housing and the link member. Moreover, if one end of the shaft is detached from or protrudes from the link member and the cassette housing, the one end of the shaft prevents the cassette housing from moving within the deck, thereby causing malfunction of the tape cassette player and recorder.
A conventional tape cassette housing used for a tape cassette player and recorder, such as a camcorder, is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a housing structure having a cassette housing 20 into which a tape cassette 10 is inserted, two pairs of link members 21 and 22 coupled between cassette housing 20 and a deck 30 and moving between an unloading position for receiving or releasing the cassette and a loading position for placing the cassette on the deck for a play mode or a record mode, and a shaft 40 having both ends connected to the cassette housing 20. After tape cassette 10 is inserted into cassette housing 20 in a direction indicated by an arrow A, cassette housing 20 moves in a direction indicated by an arrow B along with rotation of link members 21 and 22 for locating the cassette housing 20 on deck 30 while accommodating tape cassette 10. Shaft 40 is rotatably inserted through holes formed on both side plates of cassette housing 20.
Since shaft 40 is separately provided for assembly into housing 20, the assembling process of the above-described housing structure becomes complicated. Moreover, if one end of shaft 40 penetrates through the side plates of cassette housing 20 and protrudes from the side plate and the link member, the protruding portion of the one end of the shaft may not provide link members 21 and cassette housing 20 with strength and may not prevent cassette housing 20 from being distorted.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved link mechanism supporting a cassette housing structure on a deck of a tape cassette player and recorder.
It is another object to provide a link mechanism supporting a cassette housing so as to reduce the number of components for the link mechanism and the cassette housing.
It is yet another object to provide a link mechanism supporting a cassette housing so as to reduce the time for assembling the link mechanism and the cassette housing.
It is still another object to provide a link mechanism supporting a cassette housing so as to prevent the cassette housing from causing a malfunction of the link mechanism and the cassette housing.
It is a further object to provide a link mechanism supporting a cassette housing so as to provide the link mechanism and the cassette housing with strength.
It is also an object to provide a link mechanism supporting a cassette housing so as to prevent the link mechanism and the cassette housing from being distorted when an external impact is exerted on the cassette housing and the link mechanism.
These and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by a link mechanism having two pairs of link members supporting a cassette housing on a deck of a cassette player and recorder. One of the two pairs of link members is integrally formed with a shaft in a single body.